Gripping device
A gripping device having a body with at least one moveable arm. The moveable arm may be selectably positionable and secured at a position by a locking pin. The gripping device may have a body selectably attached to a base having a release. Actuating the release allows the body to be removed from the base. A gripping surface on an arm may have an engagement surface and a plurality of air pockets positioned below the engagement surface.
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This invention relates generally to a gripping device, and in particular, to a gripping device for use in connection with securing items to a vehicle.
People have used various devices to grip and hold articles. Many of these devices are used to secure articles to a vehicle, such as a car, truck, or all-terrain vehicle (ATV). These devices allow articles to be securely attached to a vehicle while permitting the operator of the vehicle to focus on driving.
Specifically, devices have been used to secure sporting equipment and tools to vehicles. Such devices include rifle racks and rack systems. These rack systems generally have a U-shaped body. The equipment is placed into the U-shaped body. The body, however, generally has a predetermined shape. The shape may be configured so as to securely hold a specific article such as a rifle. Alternatively, the shape may be configured so as to hold many different types of articles. Both designs have certain limitations. The first rack system may be able to securely hold one type of article, but it can only be used with that type of article. The second rack system may be able to hold a variety of articles, but will not be able to securely or effectively hold any article.
An improvement on this general concept is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,572 to Hancock. This patent discloses a device having a generally U-shaped body. A plurality of fins are positioned on the body so as to engage an article placed into the body. The fins provide an improved gripping function than a U-shaped body alone. However, the body itself has a predetermined configuration thus limiting the articles which it can securely hold.
Another concept used to grip articles is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,259 to Sawdon et al. This patent discloses a gripping device having a pair of pivoting arms. The arms pivot towards and away from each other. The arms are functionally connected by a series of gears so that movement of one arm results in movement of the other arm the same distance and direction. The arms have a flat gripping surface. While this device can accommodate a greater variety of articles than devices having a fixed body, this device cannot securely hold articles having round or oddly shaped cross sections in its gripping surface.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved gripping device that solves these and other deficiencies in the prior art. Of course, the present invention may be used in a multitude of situations where similar performance capabilities are required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a gripping device that is cost-effective to manufacture, has relatively few parts, functionally secures items to a vehicle, and overcomes certain of the deficiencies in the prior art.
The present invention provides for a gripping device having a body with at least one moveable arm. In one embodiment, the body has a left side with a non-moveable arm, a right side with a non-moveable arm, and a moveable arm sandwiched between the left side and the right side. The moveable arm may be selectably positionable with respect to the non-moveable arms. The gripping device may also have a locking pin that selectably engages the moveable arm, thereby securing the moveable arm at a position. In an alternative embodiment, more than one arm may be moveable so as to secure items.
A gripping device in accordance with the present invention may also include a body selectably attached to a base. The base has a platform with a release. Actuating the release allows the body to be removed from the base.
A gripping device in accordance with the present invention may also provide for a gripping surface. The gripping surface has an engagement surface and a plurality of air pockets positioned below the engagement surface. Forcing the engagement surface against an article, or vice-versa, compacts the air pockets and provides for an improved grip.
While one possible application of the present invention is in connection with vehicles and in particular ATVs, many other applications are possible and references to use in connection with a vehicle should not be deemed to limit the uses of the present invention. The terms “arm,” “body,” “base,” “left side,” “right side,” “locking pin,” “gripping surface,” “engagement surface,” “tooth,” “projection,” “extension,” “platform,” or “air pocket” as used herein should not be interpreted as being limited to specific forms, shapes, numbers, or compositions of an arm, body, base, left side, right side, locking pin, gripping surface, engagement surface, tooth, projection, extension, platform, or air pocket. Rather, the arm(s), body, base, left side, right side, locking pin, gripping surface, engagement surface, tooth, projection, extension, platform, and air pocket may have a wide variety of shapes and forms, may be provided in a wide variety of numbers, and may be composed of a wide variety of materials. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and accompanying drawings.
Illustrative embodiments of a gripping device (identified generally as 30) in accordance with the present invention are shown in
A gripping device 30 has a plurality of arms 32, 34 attached to a body 36. At least one of the arms 32 is moveable with respect to the body 36, thereby allowing the gripping device 30 to securely hold different articles. The moveable arm 32 may be moved between a variety of positions, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In the embodiment shown in
As previously discussed, the moveable arm 32 may be sandwiched between the left side 40 and the right side 42 of the body 36. The left side 40 has an opening 53. The opening 53 of the left side 40 is configured to allow the locking pin 48 to extend therethrough. A face 58 of the locking pin 48 may extend beyond the left side 40. As discussed above and shown in
As shown in
The arms 32, 34 may be contoured in any shape. In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
As shown in
In operation, a single or multiple gripping devices 30 are attached to a suitable surface as described above. The number of gripping devices 30 employed depends on a variety of factors such as the size and weight of an article to be gripped, the type of surface and vehicle the gripping device(s) 30 are attached to, and the degree of security an article is to be gripped. The locking pin 48 is depressed and the moveable arm 32 is pivoted away from the non-moveable arms 34. The locking pin 48 may be released, thereby securing the moveable arm 32 at a position. An article, such as sporting equipment or a tool, is positioned between the moveable arm 32 and the non-moveable arms 34. The locking pin 48 is depressed again, releasing the moveable arm 32. In one embodiment, the moveable arm 32, as a result of being spring biased, moves towards the non-moveable arms 34 and contacts the article. A user may tighten the arms 32, 34 around the article by applying a force to the moveable arm 32, preferably by squeezing the moveable arm 32 towards the non-moveable arms 34 and most preferably by squeezing the textured surface 79 of the gripping surface 68. Such squeezing may compress the air pockets 72 in the gripping surface 68. The locking pin 48 is released, thereby securing the moveable arm 32 at a position.
In one embodiment, the gripping device 30 can be operated in a ratcheting action. The moveable arm 32 can be moved toward the non-moveable arm 34 without depressing the locking pin 48. The moveable arm 32 cannot be moved away from the non-moveable arm 34 without depressing the locking pin 48. The orientation of the teeth 60 of the moveable arm 32 and the teeth 56 of the locking pin 48 allow movement of the moveable arm 32 in one direction, but not the other.
The gripping device of the present invention may have other applications aside from use in connection with vehicles and items secured thereto and the invention may be implemented in a variety of configurations, using certain features or aspects of the several embodiments described herein and others known in the art. Thus, although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific features and embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter of the claims.
Claims
1. A gripping device comprising:
- a body having a left side with an opening and a non-moveable arm, a right side with a non-moveable arm and an interior with extensions, and a selectably positionable moveable arm with an opening, where the moveable arm is sandwiched between the left side and the right side;
- a gripping surface attached to at least one arm, where the gripping surface has an engagement surface and a plurality of air pockets positioned below the engagement surface, where the air pockets may be compressed when the engagement surface is forced against an article;
- a locking pin, wherein the locking pin slides onto the extensions of the right side of the body and extends through the opening of the moveable arm and the opening of the left side of the body such that the locking pin engages the moveable arm and can retain the moveable arm at a position; and
- a base having a platform with a release, where the base selectively attaches the body to a surface and actuating the release allows the body to be removed from the base.
2. The gripping device of claim 1 where the platform has at least one projection and the body is configured to selectably mate with the projection, wherein actuating the release deforms the projections, allowing the body to be rotated and removed from the base.
3. A gripping device comprising:
- a body having a left side with an opening and a non-moveable arm, a right side with a non-moveable arm and an interior with extensions, and a selectably positionable moveable arm with an opening, where the moveable arm is sandwiched between the left side and the right side;
- a gripping surface attached to at least one arm, where the gripping surface has an engagement surface and a plurality of air pockets positioned below the engagement surface, where the air pockets may be compressed when the engagement surface is forced against an article;
- a locking pin, wherein the locking pin slides onto the extensions of the right side of the body and extends through the opening of the moveable arm and the opening of the left side of the body such that the locking pin engages the moveable arm and can retain the moveable arm at a position; and
- where the locking pin has at least one tooth and the moveable arm has at least one tooth such that the at least one tooth of the locking pin is selectable engageable to at least one tooth of the moveable arm.
4. The gripping device of claim 3 where the locking pin is spring biased such that depressing the locking pin allows the moveable arm to be moved.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Apr 19, 2004
Date of Patent: Mar 4, 2008
Patent Publication Number: 20050230444
Assignee: Kolpin Outdoors, Inc. (Fox Lake, WI)
Inventors: Jon Alling (Schaumburg, IL), Mike Pelland (Medinah, IL), Greg Aper (Chicago, IL), Brendan Doorhy (Westmont, IL)
Primary Examiner: Nathan J. Newhouse
Assistant Examiner: Lester L. Vanterpool
Attorney: Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
Application Number: 10/827,608
International Classification: B62J 7/00 (20060101); B62J 9/00 (20060101); B60R 11/00 (20060101);